The snowy steppes of Matushka's land stand on the brink of conflict. With the threat of the Montaigne invaders now over, the Gaius looks to deal with the rebellious Kosars not seeing the fangs of Rurik at his back. Can even Mother Winter prevent the fracturing of her alliance.

 

Places

History

Maps

Andre - Male Saint. One of the greatest of the Ussuran saints, he was unable to stop two men cutting down a sacred tree so he step infront of them and was martyred. Historical

Andropovich, Pyotyr Siev - Male Soldier. Leader of the Stelet, the personal guard of the Gaius, having saved Ilya Nikolovich from a burning carriage. Large and steady man of peasant stock. Devoutly religious.

Aryov, Vladimir - Male. Viscious leader and tactician who founded the province of Veche by conquest, mostly in responce to the spread of the Orthodox faith through the rest of Ussura. Historical

Ascanius - Male Saint. The father of Orthodox monasticism. Historical

Belofsky, Egor - Male Priest. Personal confessor to Empress Ketheryna.

Basulde, Nona - Female Fhideli. Sanat of Vitzi Basulde, following her mother Mirona.

Batist, Leon Ivanov - Male Artist. The greatest creator of krashenka or jewelled eggs, of the three he made to mark the coronation of Gaius Piotr II only two remain. Historical

Cheremshenavich, Nezhek - Male Farmer. Smuggled out of the country and now thought to be in eastern Eisen following a scam involving the development of a miracle firearm.

Covratski - Male Saint. Matryr from the war against the Mannish tribes, remembered each year by a festival in St Andresgorod. Historical

Curara, Piorgi - Male Fhideli. Vadin of the Basulde. Nephew of the vadin of Vitzi Curare, he succesfully led their caravan from the siege of Densel in Eisen. Married to Renate, daughter of Nona Basulde.

Cyrus - Male Scribe. Saint. In the service to Knias Oscar Novgorov, he escaped the execution at Numa to bring news back to Ussura. Created the Cyric alphabet in the process as a means of passing the information in secret. Historical

Demetrian - Male Rurik General. Tasked with stopping the advance of Jaala Khan, he held the pass known as the Gates of Fire in the Gora Bolshoi for three months until the onset of winter drove the Tuman back. Historical

Dimitritova, Ketheryna Fischler - Female Noble. Eisen-born sister of Faulk Fischler. Married to the Gaius.

Donovich, Andres - Male. A known captive of Kheired-Din, it is believed that he now follows the Cresent pirate of his own volition.

Dushanov, Stefan - Male Noble. Prince of a minor state in southern Somojez. Arranged a treaty with the Caliph of the Crescent Empire in 1349 AV. Died mysteriously in 1355, his son Ivan ruled until a hunting accident. Historical

Fyodovich, Baveroc - Male Peasant. Herdsman chosen by Matushka as the first Gaius of a unified Ussura in 525 AV. Proved himself a good leader, establishing himself at Pavtlow and forming the Knias Douma. Historical

Kalenikov, Paragorii Nizhne - Male. Chamberlain to Knias v'Pietrov and commander of his feared Oprechnina. Served the same position under the last Knias.

Khan, Jaala - Male Tuman. Greatest leader of this nomadic people, he raised a large army in the fourth century and was only stopped at the Gora Bolshoi by the fury of Ussuran winters. Historical

Khmelinkisirov, Bogdan - Male. Commoner ruler of the city of Sousdal.

Kirilovich, Genadi - Male. Known as "the Butcher", this hulking brute is also a devoutly religious man who does much work for the Church in Sousdal.

Kolodenko, Andrei - Male Voevod. Ruler of the southern city of Malaya.

Komunuw, Molokai Breslow - Male Merchant. After he looked into the "Legion's Spike" artifact, he spent a month in a waking coma before inexplicably slaughtering an entire family of twelve and their guests in Vodacce. Historical

Leonore - Female. Maid of Empress Ketheryna. A distant cousin to the noble Gallenia line.

Magidovich, Lazlo - Male. Leader of the town of Podshiversk, having won the right by fighting he certainly bearing the scars of the process.

Maksakov, Zabol - Female Voevodova. Ruler of the city of Siev.

Malenkov, Andreev Pavtlow - Male Voevod. Ruler of the city of Donskoy.

Malenkov, Grigori - Male Pontiff. Also personal confessor to Gaius Ilya.

Nikolovich, Ilya Sladivgorod - Male Noble. Current Gaius of Ussura. Taken from his family at age nine and locked away by the Knias who tried unsuccessfully to break his will. Shock white hair marks him as the chosen of Matushka. Called "Grozny" ( Terrible ) by the Knias, he is beloved of the people. Married to Katerina, sister of Eisenfursten Fischler.

Nikolovich, Nikolai - Male Gauis. Father of the current Gauis. Married to Chevaliene Rois et Reines, his first wife and son having been killed in an assassination attempt. He apparently tricked Matushka in promising that his son would be the next Gaius and so become the very first hereditary ruler and also first noble to hold the position. Died with his wife in 1658. Historical

Novgorov, Domitrova - Female. Wife of Knias Oscar. Close to ordering an invasion of Numa in retaliation of the execution of her husband, until a visit from Matushka. Historical

Novgorov, Oscor Pavtlavich Nikolai - Male Knias of Rurik. Leader in the fourth century who refused to recognise the new Vatacine Credo after the teachings of the Second Prophet has treatened civil war in his nation. Executed by Imperator Corantine in Numa, he became the first saint of the Ussuran Orthodox church. Historical

Pastovich, Drutsky Kethna - Male Bogatyr. Vechean veteran of the War of the Cross. Leader of the large army forming in the Derevyanniy forest to oppose the movement of Montegue towards Pavtlow.

Perenkova, Natasha - Female. Married into the Pietrov family by the arrangements of Koshchei.

Pietr - Male. Chief of the Molhyni people, who rose up against the Kosar. Killed at the battle of Goroduk, his son took the field and founded the state of Molhyna. Historical

Pietrov, Anton - Male. Son of Pietr. Formed the nation of Molhyna after the defeat of the ruling Tuman tribes known also as the Kosar. Historical

Pietrov, Koshchei Molhynia - Male Noble. Leader of the ancient Pietrov family. Member of the Knias Douma. Called the "undying" he has been here since Ussura was founded. His skin has a waxy complexion and he is known to frequently visit Cathay. Abdicated from direct control of Molhyna province in 525 AV, although he maintained the seat on the Douma since that date.

Piotr II - Male. Gaius in the late 1200s. Married to Praetora v'Riasanova. Three great jewelled eggs were commisioned to mark his coronation. Historical

Pscov, Illarion Belafustus - Male. First Patriarch of the Orthodox church, taking up the name Innocent the First. Historical

Pscov, Svyatogor Muron - Male. Legendary hero of Somojez who is said to for one have driven the giants from their city of Odyesse. Historical

Riasanova, Andrus Paropovich - Male Voevod. Ruler of Sredbirskyoye, he turns a blind eye to the activities within the city.

Sergius - Male Monk. Known as "Saint Sergius of Radonezh", left his monestary in Siev in 1334 to convert the Kosar tribes to the Orthodox faith. He accomplished this feat in 1381 when the Khan travelled to Sousdal and converted. Historical

Sokolov, Boris Nicholaievich - Male. Son of a minor boyar, he was sent into academia in Pavtlow to get away from the political machinations of the Douma.

Stefanov, Ivan - Male Noble. Son of Stephan Dushanov. Took control of the small border state in 1355 and called on assistance from the Caliph of the Crescent Empire, whose daughter Elena would eventually married his father's cousin Alexei and take the throne after Ivan dies in a hunting accident. Historical

Tchernivich, Viacheslav - Male. Former army captain under Knias Drako v'Pietrov, now ruler of the city of Eniseisk. Married to Palladia with one daughter, he is thought to be considering breaking away from Molhyna after recent actions in the name of the Knias.

Timurbek, Jyrgal - Male Kosar Khan. Overthrew the powerful Verkhotov family and recently established the independant state of Kosara using their lands across the southern portion of Molhyna. So far Knias Vladimir has taken no action.

Tomiech, Romain - Male. Last Tomiech Domiator of Veche. Ruled in the ninth or tenth centuries with his cruel daughter and later wife Saska. Historical

Tomiech, Saska - Female. Daughter and wife of Romain. Said to be a practitioner of dark magics and to bathe in the blood of virgins, she was frozen in ice by Matushka centuries ago with her son Ilhyna.

v'Kaplov, Usor Dalovich - Male Soldier. Captain of the Tyomny, currently fighting a guerilla war against the Montaigne just south of Odyesse.

v'Novgorov, Aleksi Pavtlow Markov - Male Noble. Leader of the powerful Novgorov family. Member of the Knias Douma for Rurik. Saw his father fed to his own dogs. An outspoken opponent of the current Gaius.

v'Novgorov, Markov Petranski - Male Noble. Knias who oversaw the "education" of the new Gaius, he was fed to his own dogs on the ascention of Ilya at his sixteenth birthday. Historical

v'Novgorov, Vassily Piotr Ekaternava - Male Voevod. Ruler of the besieged city of Ekaternava.

v'Pietrov, Drako Goroduk Stanimirov - Male Noble. Former Knias of Molhyna and father of Vladimir. Took control of the nation, ruling it with an iron fist and an army to back it with. Historical

v'Pietov, Franczek - Male Noble. Knias of Molhyna after the abdication of his father, the Koshchei, in the sixth century. Historical

v'Pietrov, Vladimir Goroduk Drakov - Male Noble. Knias of Molhyna. An accident several years ago apparently turned him from a wise ruler into the tyrant he appears to be today.

v'Pietrov, Yuri Radostnoi - Male Noble. Suitor to Tamara v'Riasanova. Confessed to a series of indiscretions and was assigned to a diplomatic mission in the remotest part of Ussura.

v'Pscov, Borin St Andresgorod Sergeiov - Male Noble. Knias of Somojez. Holds the title of Tabularius or "defender of the faith", although his church attendance of late is lapse. One of the richest men in Theah.

v'Riasanovich, Brutger Housen - Male Eisen Grand Duke. Husband of Dauntaina, they have four children.

v'Riasanova, Dauntaina Bourdillion - Female Voevodova. Ruler of Breslau and elder sister of Knias Tamara. A prolific poet she is married to Duke Brutger.

v'Riasanovich, Dreng - Male Noble. Elder brother of Knias Tamara, he was passed over for rule of the family and sent to a convent at Astradastan.

v'Riasanova, Praetora - Female Empress. Wife of Gaius Piotr II. Historical

v'Riasanova, Tamara Breslau Fyodnava - Female Noble. Knias of Gallenia. An honourable woman who wields a unique sword gifted to her family by a Cathayan merchant at her birth. Close advisor to the Gaius.

v' Vladimirova, Apraksia Siev - Female Noble. Daughter of Knias Staver. Exiled to Kuroi after she refused an arranged marriage, she has proven a capable leader of the town.

v' Vladimirovich, Fveryot - Male Noble. Son of Knias Staver, living at Valaamzhensky castle with his father.

v' Vladimirovich, Staver Siev Aryaov - Male Noble. Knias of Veche. Said to be quite mad after returning from a long journey to the Crescent lands.

Virineia, Efiopskaia Svatikova - Female. Leader of the town of Kuzetsk after the death of her husband, her daughter is set up to take over after her death or retirement.

Vsevolod - Male Noble Saint. Grand Duke of Sousdal and ancestor of the Pscov family. Sainted for his work with the Orthodox Church of Ussura. He renounced the worship of the Second Prophet and so defied the Vaticine Church, holding the city of Sousdal against the forces of Imperator Corantine. Historical

Yuriovna, Khava - Female. Living within sight of the firey Cathay wall near the city of Breslau, she is a source of information on matters supernatural or occult.

Zastienchiyu, Fyodor - Male Orthodox Priest. Working for Allende, his has been nicknamed "The Bashful Bear" by McCorley.

Zhdanov, Yuris - Male Orthodox Priest. Runs the St Andresgorog chapel with his three brothers, Gela, Slava and Mait Zhdanovich.

Zheltonos, Iurii - Male Orthodox Priest. Current Patriarch of the Ussuran Church. Known as "Iurii the Benevolent" for his open and charitable nature.